Haut Bages Liberal 2021 (1.5L)

 93 JA / 93 DE / 91-93 WA 

A successful Haut Bages Libéral, with juicy black cassis fruits, firm Pauillac tannins with a eucalyptus and white pepper twist on the finish. 40% new oak here. This is an estate that is in full evolution right now, with an impressive commitment to doing things differently - they are just uprooting a 1ha plot in front of the chateau, for example, to replant as agroforestry. First year officially certified Ecocert. 49hl/ha yield. - Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

Very aromatic on the nose, this has savoury, fruit and floral tones; liquorice, cola and earth with cranberries, strawberries and black cherries. Dense and quite darkly fruited on the palate but with a brightness from the acidity giving a mouthwatering attack before the flavours deepen and widen in the mouth. So many layers, really showing the Pauillac power: everything presented in high definition with a bold structure even though the individual elements are so precise and defined. It's racy and confident but also complex with a spiced cedar, clove, cinnamon, liquorice and wet stone/ chalky element to the tannins that fill the mouth and don't let go. A lovely wine with lots of potential from Claire Villars-Lurton! 65% grand vin. A blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon - the highest percentage ever - and 10% Merlot, which usually comprises between 15 to 25% of the blend. 11.5% press wine. Ageing 16 months, 40% new oak, 40% one-year-old oak, 20% amphoras. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter